Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-02-10

jeral favorite with both teachers and
scholars. Her valentine, she had de-
c:ded, should be small but exquisite
engraving that she had lately seen in a
shop window, entitled, ''St. Valentines
Eve and which she knew would de-
light the art-loving Hilda, whose father
had been an artist, and had bequeathed
much of his artistic nature to his only
child; the hardest part of whose lot was
that she was compelled to pass herdays
in an ugly, bare room, in a cheap board
;ng-house, where the green curtains
were ever distress, and the gaudy red
and yellow carpet was actual pain, and
often haunted her feverish dreams 1t
was with light heart and step, there
fore, that Myrtle, in her neat brown
cloth suit and hat and warm sealskin
jacket, started briskly down the avenue
after school hours, on that bright 18th
of February, the sunshine lighting up
her redd.,h-gold hair and herfeet keep
ing time with the merry tinkling sleigh
bells that resounded on all sides.
81 hope the picture will come within
my means, for my quarterly allowance
is running altogether too low" she
thought, as she turned into side street.
Here she came suddenly upon group
of ragged street urchins, who with loud
shouts and laughter were making merry
over some thing in their midst.
''Git along there! Whoa, january
they cried; and as the crowd parted for
an instant, Myrtle caught sight of the
two forlorn little kittens that these cruel
lads were dragging along by strings
about their necks, and prodding them
on with pins and sharp sticks. A love
for animals and dumb creatures of every
sort was Myrtle's strongest point, and
now without moments hesitation she
dashed impulsively right in among the
young street arabs, exclaiming: You
cruel. cruel boys, to tease these little
creatures sou and caught one of the
kittens in her arms.
For a second the lads were quite
taken aback, then one said: ''See here,
Missy; we don't want to be sassy to a
young lady, but you'd better drop that
critter if yer know when you're well
Off" what are you going to do with
them?" she demanded, with flashing
eyes, while the little cat clung implor-
ingly to her neck. Have some fun
with 'em and then drop 'em off the
dock" responded the spokesman of
the party. But your sport is cruel,
mean and unmanly!' cried Myrtle,
poor, poor l=tle things." as the kit
tens mewed piteously. please give
them to me-" ''No, stree! They're
our beastIes, and we mean to have a
circus with EN- In vain Myrtle
coaxed, pleaded and threatened. The
boys laughed at the police and scoffed
at her entreaties; until at last, little
fellow, with singular old, keen face,
suggested: ''Mebbe the young lady
would buy the wretches."
Il will will give you a dollar for
Them" said Myrtle. Not enough"
grunted the leader, with a wink ut his
companions, Two dollars then" for
the tiny claws clutching her shoulder
We're Juggling at her heart-strings.
MAKE it three and it's bargain"
The girl hesitated; there were only four
dollars in her purse, and Hilda's pic
ture was fading away into uncertainty.
''lti5 an outrageous price, she thought,
but as one of the youths laid rough
hand on the kitten and tried to drag it
from her arms she succumbed, paid the
money and, as the noisy party departed
with boots and cheers, was left stand
ing alone in the frosty street, with the
two dirty kittens cuddled up against
her seal-skin.
At a corner store she purchased
basket to carry them home in; but rs she
wendell her way uptown her thoughts
were not of the happiest. Her excite
ment and indignation had subsidized and
she said to herself: What an advan-
tage those horrid boys took of me! and
how the girls will laugh at me, for it is
useless to think of Hilda's picture nowr'
So by the time the school was reached
she quite regretted her bargain, and
was not treasured by meeting Bertha
and May on the doorstep, one bearinga
fancy basket heaped with golden Flor
ida oranges and rich clusters of grapes.
and the other box glittering with sill
Yer and gold.
Here comes Myrtle with her grand
valentine, they exclaimed, ''do let us
have a peep at the mystery" But
with Il shake of the head Myrtle dashed
past them, upstairs, into her own cham
Der; and here her roommate. Daisy,
found her an hour later. feeding the
kittens with some milk she had begged
from the cook, and watering their
grimy little heads with ncr tears.
Daisy came in like a small whirlwind,
exclsiming, 'Oh, Myrtle, L have or
dered the loveliest bouquet of roses; so
now, do let ne see your valentine -
Then stopping short. why, where in
the world did those scrawny creatures
come from?" and then between crying